Embers in the Fire
by LonelyWenDerAllAlone
Summary: Follow the story of Ember, a nobleman of Hammerfell, who learns that he is the Dragonborn of legend, as he goes on his quest to fulfill his destiny, and learn more about himself.
1. End of the Line

Disclaimer: I don't own _Skyrim_, but I do own my lovely OC's, and this doughnut! X)

Embers in the Fire

Chapter I: End of the Line

"Master! Master, where are you?" the red headed woman chirped. Her long bangs covered her right eye, but her left eye searched the trees like a hawk. The ebony armor that embraced her form was not ideal for this kind of muddy terrain in the slightest. The mist was thick, impeding vision beyond a few yards. She groaned before sitting on a mossy fallen tree, her silver greatsword and her sliver bow clattering against the wood. "Where could he have run off to now?" She closed her eyes and with an irritated sigh, she jumped back on her feet. But she noticed something out the corner of her sight. She knelt down to investigate the signs of disturbed earth. Footprints littered the ground in a frenzy, indications of a struggle. "(Sigh) What have you gotten yourself into now?"

* * *

The clackles and creaks of the carriage woke him from his 'induced' slumber. He could still feel all his bruises, but his head was the worst. The cold winds didn't help either, as they barraged his thin frame. He slowly opened his bright brown eyes, letting in the white landscape. His brown hair felt a little muddy, after a hit to the head from behind landing him face down in the dirt. Accompanying him were three Nords, all sitting quietly. He counted over a dozen soldiers guarding the two carriages with bound prisoners. '_With this many guards… Someone here must be quite valuable…'_

"Hey, you…" He looked up at the blonde Nord, "You're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there." They both turned to the lout. "Damn you Stormcloaks, Skyrim was fine until you came along, Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, could have stolen that horse and been half way to Hammerfell" he spat. The thief turned to the brunet boy, "You there, you and me, we shouldn't be here, it's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants." _'Hmmm, so these are the rebels I've heard about…'_

"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief" the blonde rebel retorted. "Shut up back there" one of the soldiers griped. The thief looked to the third Nord, whose mouth was gagged, "What's wrong with him, huh?" "Watch your tongue! You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the _true_ high king!" the rebel barked. "Ulfric? The jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion…"-_'Bingo…'-_"…but if they've captured you…oh gods! Where are they taking us?" the thief squealed. "I don't know where we're going, but Sovengarde awaits…" the rebel grumbled. "No…this can't be happening, this isn't happening!"

"Hey, what village are you from horse thief?" the rebel asked. "Why do you care?" "A Nord's last thoughts, should be of home…" "Rorikstead. I'm… I'm from Rorikstead." A soldier's voice could be heard up on the walkway, "General Tullius, sir! The headsman is waiting!" They turned to see a village, with tall stone walls, a few dreary houses and two towers. "Good, let's get this over with" the General commanded. They passed under the walkway, and into the town. "Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh… Divines, please help me!" the thief cried.

The General rode his horse over to the side, greeting three Altmer. "Look at him, General Tullius, the Military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn elves. I bet they had something to do with this." The rebel's words dripped with venom, until he took a more soft tone. "This is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here. Wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in." He sighed, "Funny, when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe…"

As they rode through town, multitudes of onlookers stared upon them. "Who are they daddy? Where are they going?" a boy asked. "You need to go inside little cub" his father looked to him. "Why? I want to watch the soldiers." "Inside the house. Now" his father's voice full of concern. "(Sigh) Yes papa…" the boy grumbled. An Imperial captain barked at her subordinates, "Get these prisoners out of the carts, move it!" "Why are we stopping?" the thief whined. The rebel Nord looked him dead in the eye, "Why do you think? End of the line…"


	2. Ahead

Chapter II: Ahead

As the carriages stopped, the prisoners jumped out to meet their fate. "Let's go. Shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us" the rebel insisted. The brunet sighed out in annoyance, "I don't plan on dying, and I'm definitely not dying here of all places." The rebel could only muster a half-hearted smile to the defiant teen. The thief began to panic, "No! Wait, we're not rebels!" "Face your death with some courage, thief." "You've got to tell them, we weren't with you! This is a mistake!" The captain shouted, "Step towards the block when we call your name, one at a time!" The rebel muttered under his breath, "Empire loves their damn lists." The soldier began his list: "Ulfric Stormcloak, jarl of Windhelm." The leader began his way to the chopping block. "It has been an honor, Jarl Ulfric" the rebel watching his every footstep. "Ralof of Riverwood." The rebel walked passed the soldier, but not before giving him a cold look.

"Lokir of Rorikstead." "No, I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" And just like that, he took off at full sprint. "Halt!" the captain screamed. "You're not going to kill me!" he chimed out. But the brunet knew better, that it would be over in a second. As soon as the word "Archers!" left the captains lips, Lokir was no more, just a corpse with two arrows in the back. "Anyone else feel like running?" she chanted out. The soldier noticed the last prisoner, "Wait. You there. Step forward." The brunet complied, no expression on his face whatsoever.

The legionnaires noticed his strange garments, unlike anything they've encountered around here. The clothes he was wearing were simple, yet refined; Black shoes that only covered the bottom of his feet, held on by thick strings that wrapped around his ankles and in between his toes, thick white trousers that reminded the legionnaires of Hammerfell attire, a strange sleeveless white tunic that revealed his stomach and the area around his neck, not to mention the thin black cloth tied around his neck, the golden bracelets that lined his arms, and the earrings that chimed whenever they knocked into each other. "Who, are you?"

"You wouldn't believe me, even if I told you" the brunet paused, "So I'll show you." He turned to one of the legionnaires, "I'm to assume you confiscated my belongings, right?" "Uh… y-yes, we did" the soldier replied. "Show your superior its contents. That should make it easier on her" he smirked. The reluctant legionnaire grabbed the satchel from the carriage and brought it to the captain. Snatching it from him, she opened the heavy bag, having to take a closer look to verify what she _thought_ she saw. But the soldier interrupted her, "Captain, what should we do? He's not on the list." The contents of the bag unnerved her, but a familiar voice snapped her back to reality.

"Captain Livula, looks like you could use a hand" the voice came from a young blonde soldier in steel plated armor behind her. "Captain Calibur, thanks for the offer, but I have the situation under control" her tone became harsh. The brunet and blonde's eyes met, polished golds and sky blues locking onto one another. "You can't really believe he's a Stormcloak, he's as foreign as foreign can get… I'd like to see what's in the bag" he spoke, almost whispering. Hesitantly, she forked over the satchel, giving him the same look she had when he peeked inside. The soldier inquired, "What is it, Captain Calibur?" The captain gave him a look, before emptying the contents of the satchel on the floor. Gold coins littered the dirt, along with random assortments of gems, and finally, a lone scroll.

Calibur picked the scroll up, unrolled it and began reading, onlookers and soldiers alike watching him. He stood there for a minute, his blonde bangs covering his eyes. "It proclaims that the bearer of this scroll is… is a noble of house Salezar" he struggled in disbelief. The legionnaires all stood in silence over the revelation. Calibur broke the silence, "Well, I guess there's nothing we can do except let him g-""Wait a minute…" Livula interjected. "Wouldn't it be plausible that he stole these items?" The brunet eyed her, _'Shut up! You trying to get me executed!?'_ "If he was nobility, we would have at least found him with _one_ bodyguard." The brunet retorted, "Me and my servant got split up in Darkwater Crossing, that's when I ran into your men. More like your men ran into me," he mumbled. "Silence! You speak when you're spoken to!" she shouted, veins popping.

Calibur smiled uncomfortably, attempting to reason with her. "That, could be true. But what if we're wrong? That'd be a big mistake, executing a member of house Salezar for being suspicious? That would definitely come back to hurt us. We should wait and try to confirm this information." Livula crossed her arms, "You really believe that this _brat_ is part of an influential family of noblemen? I'll have to agree to disagree, Calibur. Send him to the blo-""Livula, this is a mistake, soldier, remove his bindi-" but before he could finish, he was shoved back, with an angry Livula at his throat. She whispered to him, louder than she meant, "Look here Calibur, you may have made it to the rank of Tribune in two short years through pure talent, but me? I've had to work for _years_ to get this far! You may be General Tullius' protégé, but I'm still in charge of the prisoners. So I'll say it once more…" she turned to the soldier, "Forget the list!" She reeled back to Calibur, "He goes to the block."

Calibur raised his hands in defeat, with a bead of sweat hurdling down his forehead. He walk passed her, only to be stopped by the brunet's golden gaze. He couldn't take this frustration, he couldn't accept this. He looked down, "Fine! Do what you will, I won't be a part of this" and trudged off to the keep. The brunet sensed something inside the fiery captain, his instinct's compass pointed straight at the blonde prodigy. But now wasn't the time for that, he needed to find a way out of this situation, while he still was _ahead_.


	3. Interference

Chapter III: Interference

"I'm sorry…" the soldier spoke, "Follow the captain." But this time the brunet didn't heed the command. He instead started walking without the captain, to the rest of the prisoners. "By the way," he spun around, "Your good friend Captain Calibur was right, this will come back unto you full swing, and the least of your problems will be execution" he grinned. Livula bit her lip before shoving the brunet forward to the rest of the 'chain gang' in the courtyard.

"Ulfric Stormcloak, some here in Helgen call you a hero, but a hero doesn't use a power like the voice to murder his king and usurp his throne" Tullius stared Ulfric down. _'The voice? Like those old fairy tales from way back when?' _"You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the Empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace!" Suddenly a noise interrupted the General, as it echoed around the mountains. "What was that?" the soldier exclaimed. "It's nothing, carry on" Tullius commanded. Livula answered, "Yes, General Tullius! Give them their last rites." The brunet searched the rooftops within eyesight, and spotted a figure, discreetly hidden from plain sight on a roof a few yards away. _'Looks like Vio's here… good. If we do this just right, we can escape without any bloodshed.'_

* * *

"This is great, the town's crawling with legionnaires, and what was that noise?" Vio was getting tired of bailing out her master from situations like this. But then again she knew that it was her fault this time, she wasn't prepared for an attack. Involving three bears, that is. She felt ashamed that she couldn't take them all on, and that her master had to help lead one away, which is the only reason they got separated and in this mess. She watched the courtyard, _'The priestess is beginning their last rites, this' the perfect time to devise a plan to take them all out swiftly. Then again, Master would probably want to resolve this without any real violence. That means I need to make him an exit, and disarm any threat in his way. The tower in front of them? No, there's nothing to jump to.'_

But not even a second later, a Stormcloak rebel interrupted the ceremony. Her eyes squinted, _'Oh great, what's he up to?'_ and before she knew it, he was pushed down to the ground and promptly lost his head. "WHAAAATT!?" she screamed, covering her mouth, paralyzed. Two legionnaires looked to the roof, before shrugging to each other. _'That idiot! Now they'll just skip to the beheading part, I'm running out of time!'_ she took in a deep breath, _'Okay Vio, you've got this. Master said that he has confidence in my abilities, he taught me after all.'_ She pulled out the ornate sliver bow, _'Just have to think! Huh?'_ Her attention was caught again by the noise echoing throughout the air. _'It's far, but it's loud.'_ She looked back down to see the brunet approaching the headsman. Tears flowed down her face like a mighty waterfall, utter terror filled her, _'OH NO HE'S NEXT WHAT DO I DO!'_ She nocked a silver arrow, _'There's only one thing I can do! I've got to hit the headsman's arm as soon as he raises for the swing!'_

* * *

"Next, the foreigner!" Livula called out. _'I can only hope that Vio's come up with a plan.'_ He looked to the roof Vio was on before walking to the block. As Livula pushed his head down on the block, his body tensed, seeing his reflection on the headsman's axe. _'I need to focus all of my aura to my neck to block his swing, but I don't know if I can deflect something that big. If I fail…'_ He tried shrugging off the thought, preparing for the axe. The lumbering brute of a man took his stance, the brunet and Vio ready to counter. But it all went downhill from there.

A chilling roar came from the sky, followed by a winged creature, black as night, veering around the mountain. The general took a defensive stance, "What in Oblivion is that!?" Livula tried to block the sun from her view, "Sentries, what do you see?" "It's in the clouds!" "Dragon!" The beast landed right on the tower beside the courtyard, leaving the brunet, Tullius, Ulfric, and the dragon face to face.

An earth shattering roar unfurled itself from the dragon, sending rebels and legionnaires alike to the floor. Only the brunet, Tullius, and Ulfric could withstand the shockwave, barely remaining on their feet. The clouds began to swirl and distort, sending a flurry of firebolts to rain down from the sky. The other two retreated, while the brunet watched. They stared into each other's eyes like ravens, and for a moment, he could hear the words behind the roar, and with a "_Fus Roh Dah!_" the brunet was flung to the ground, his head smacking the cobblestone. The world became a blur, and his senses failed him. But before he could lose consciousness, a voice called out to him. "My lord!"


	4. Fated Meeting

A/N: I'm trying to stay ahead two or so chapters of what I post, I have a bad habit of editing what I've already gone through multiple times. .

Chapter IV: Fated Meeting

Vio watched in horror as the brunet flew back with a loud thud. The panic and fear filled her being, her eyes open wide. But suddenly her fear turned to extreme rage and hatred, her pupils shrinking, her iris' turning a shade of violet. She drew back the silver arrow with a mighty tug, and filled her bow with malicious anger, "DIE!" The bow glowed an indigo tint, letting a mighty arrow loose. The arrow embedded itself within the dragon's thick hide before setting off a spectacle of lightning on the black creature, granting her an irritated roar. The beast flapped its wings and took flight, giving her an opening.

She jumped down from her perch on the rooftop, landing with a roll, and ran like the wind to her fallen master, dodging countless firebolts. Each step was more agonizing than the last, _'Please be alive, please be alive!'_ She fell to his side, "My lord! My lord!" He slowly opened his eyes, sitting up and rubbing the back of his bloody head. The brunet winced, "That… hurt…" He tried to smile at his disgruntled servant, _'If I hadn't focused my aura to the back of my head at that moment, I probably would have died.'_ But his senses kicked in, "Get down!" He focused his aura to his raised hand, and created a magical barrier above them. A firebolt pummeled the barrier before dispersing.

"I vote that we leave, what say you?" the brunet inquired, eyeing the 'spinny vortex of doom' above them. Vio smiled confidently, "Yes, let's." "Have any ideas?" "The keep is just on the other side of this wall." "Then let's get moving!" He looked around for a path, until he noticed the hole in the tower next to an open rooftop. "There!" he pointed. The two darted into the tower, not even seconds later, jumping out to the roof. They swiftly entered the home from there, making their way downstairs, and out a hole in the wall.

As they ran down the fiery path, the dragon landed in the way. "Move!" the brunet pushed Vio and himself into a nearby building. The beast uttered its words, _"Yol Toor Shul!"_ and the home was set ablaze instantly. After the creature flew out the way, two ash covered figures sprinted out the burning residence. "If-(Pant) - if I didn't know any better, I'd say that it was targeting us!" the brunet shouted as they ran. "Well, I kinda lost control back there" she blushed, feeling embarrassed. The brunet gave her a stern look, "Great, first week in Skyrim, and I've already made enemies with a _dragon_!" As they exited another burnt down building, the winged beast flew over them, spouting fire directly at their heels. The two yelped, running even faster, "Crap! That's _hot_!" They narrowly dodged a swooping attack from the creature's claws, "DAMMIT!" the brunet cursed.

* * *

The roars and screams coming from beyond the door distressed the young captain. _'What on mundus is going on!?'_ He opened the left door ever so slightly, peeking his blonde head out. What he saw, he could never erase from his mind. Burnt corpses littered the ground, what used to be Helgen was now a ruin. "By…the gods…" he whispered. He watched the great dragon soar through the air, only to have his eye caught by the viscous vortex in the sky. A bright dot appeared in its wake, getting bigger, getting _closer._ He quickly shut the door, put a wood plank across, and fell on his back, as the firebolt ripped through and left a hole in the door. He scooted himself back to a pillar, his armor clattering, panting heavily.

Two voices could be heard at the door, he readied his sword. "Get it open!" one cried, "I can't, it's been barricaded" another said. _'Stormcloaks?'_ he thought, preparing himself. "Stand back," the first warned. A sizzling noise flooded his ears, as the door began to _melt_. The thick wood melted away, to reveal the short brunet, and a woman standing next to him. The brunet had a surprised look on his face, before a smile, "Captain Calibur!" The woman looked to her companion, "You know him Master?" The captain was at a loss for words, all he could really do was stand there.

The brunet signaled to the woman, "C'mon, we don't have all day." The two walked past Calibur, but something stopped the brunet, that feeling from earlier. It kept the boy from moving an inch further, causing the woman to ask, "Master? What is it?" The boy paused, _'Is he important? The divines wouldn't point me in the wrong direction, would they?'_ The brunet turned around to the captain, "Captain, I suggest you leave with us." Calibur looked at him, quite puzzled, "I… I can't! I need to join General Tullius in the defense! I need to-""There is no defense!" the brunet interrupted, "Everyone is falling back, and you should do the same."

"But…" the captain stumbled. The brunet sighed heavily, "Fine, then as a member of house Salezar, I demand that you accompany me!" Calibur looked upon the teen dumbfounded. "I'm Ember," the boy pointed to his companion, "and this' your new comrade, Vio! Now get acquainted." He marched off down the corridor, a smile on his face, leaving the captain and his new comrade sweat dropped. "Is he always like _this_?" "Pretty much…"


	5. Let Down

A/N: Just to let you know, I'll probably be updating this every day, adding at least one chapter, if not more. Why? Cause school hasn't started yet! Lucky you! ;)

Chapter V: Let Down

The trio walked down the road, the sign pointing right, a town called Riverwood. They were all quiet, until Vio started to hassle Ember, "Master, answer me this question." Her eyes glimmered angrily, "Why didn't you try to escape!?" A nervous smile took hold of Ember's face, "Well, I thought that it would be more appropriate to simply explain who I was." "And how did that work out?" she asked sarcastically. His brows furrowed, "It's not my fault! It was that Livula woman, she claimed that I was a thief! She even called me a brat!" Vio's expression changed instantly, a vengeful tint to her face, "Wh- how dare she! No one calls my Master a brat but me! She will pay with her life!" Calibur tried to smile, but the realization that he might be the only sane one here scared him.

"How are your wounds, that head injury looks pretty serious" Calibur worried. Ember smirked, "I'll be fine, it's just a concussion." But Calibur didn't believe that, there was far too much blood. "I'm just worried about these blood stains on my clothes" Ember whined. Calibur raised an eyebrow, "I don't think those garments have a chance." And he had reason to say that, his clothes were cut, singed, and torn. Ember smiled, "Ah, but these aren't made of just _any_ fabric." His golden aura shrouded him, causing the garments to expand and stitch themselves back together.

Calibur could only stare at the spectacle before him. As Ember's aura faded away, his clothes appeared to be brand new, save for the bloodstains. "…I've never seen or even heard of anything like that!" Calibur exclaimed. "Of course not, I invented it" the brunet stated calmly. Vio stood next to her master before taking a ridiculous pose, along with a theatric voice, "For you see, my master is the _best_ enchanter known to mankind!" Closing his eyes, Ember patted her shoulder, "That's enough Vio, you're starting to embarrass me." The two started to ramble on while Calibur pondered, _'House Salezar is a very reputable family in Hammerfell, but I never knew that they had a member like this amongst their ranks, nor did I think that anyone of his talent existed.'_

Soon after, they arrived at the small village, Riverwood. The sun was beginning to set and Calibur was glad, "I can't wait to sleep on a decent bed for once!" But the moment they made it to the wall, Ember became wobbly in his footsteps. Calibur noticed, turning to the young brunet, "What's wrong?" Vio eyed her master carefully, as he replied, "N… It's nothing-" he began to fall forward. Vio panicked, her adrenaline rushing in an instant, catching him before he landed. "Is he okay!?" Calibur shouted. All the villagers stopped what they were doing to watch the trio on the ground. Vio checked his pulse frantically, "…He's still alive, but his pulse is weak."

An old woman ran to their side, "What happened!?" "H- He just collapsed," Calibur was worried for Ember, but he knew that he felt nothing compared to Vio, her usual strong and happy demeanor, now a woman on the verge of tears. The old woman stood there for a second, before shouting, "Well are gonna sit here till he bleeds out, or are you gonna get him inside!?" The two watched her before nodding to each other, promptly lifting him up by his arms. The old woman screamed at the villagers, "What are you looking at!? Get out the way!?"

The home was quite small, but the old woman sure made it feel homey. "Set him down on that bed over there, and pull up a chair!" she ordered. The two put Ember down as softly as they could, Calibur feeling the fresh blood from his head wound dripping on his gauntlets. A young blonde Nord walked through the door, but before he could react to the scene unfolding before him, the old woman yelled to him, "Sven, go fetch some water!" She sat next to the bed, feeling her patient's injury. "When did this happen?" she asked. Calibur sat on the floor, "A short while ago, we came from Helgen." "You dragged him all the way from Helgen!?" He paused, "No, we all walked here." Her eyes squinted, "Then you must be talking about someone else." Calibur sat for a moment before tilting his head, "What?" "I'm saying that no human being could withstand this injury and walk from Helgen to here."

She pulled her wrinkled hands from her patient before turning around to a worried Calibur and seemingly indifferent Vio. "The name's Hilde, and that was my son Sven earlier." He replied, "I'm Calibur, this is Vio." The old woman took a look at the dead silent servant leaning against the wall, Vio immediately breaking eye contact. Calibur continued, "And this is Ember." Sven walked in, placing the bucket of water next to his mother. She drenched the rag before attempting to clean the wound. "What happened to him?" she inquired. "Well, I can't tell you the full story… but she can" Calibur turned to Vio. She sighed, "Fine."

"So a dragon attacked Helgen? That would explain what I saw earlier, flying over the mountain" Hilde staring at her patient's head rapped in bloody bandages, taking the information in. She paused, "His skull is cracked, he's internally bleeding from the brain… there's nothing I can do." The news knocked the wind out of Calibur. Vio only granted Hilde a single tear down her left eye. "There's a healer in Whiterun, but I don't think he can wait tha-" Hilde was interrupted by a slamming door. Calibur winced at the sound, the atmosphere crushing him like a bug.


	6. Under the Bridge

A/N: I've finally decided where I want this story to go in the end, poor Vio. No turning back now!

Chapter VI: Under the Bridge

By the time Calibur left the inn, it was dark with only the moonlight showing him the way. He walked silently down the road, still thinking about Ember. Even though they had all just met, he felt an attachment for those two. His two years in the Imperial army were tough, with many foes and few friends. Calibur was just about to enter Hilde's home, but something glimmered, over by the bridge out of town. He walked closer, discovering Vio, sitting on the edge of the bridge, watching the night sky.

Her ebony armor gleamed in the moonlight, her scarlet hair swayed from the subtlest breeze. Calibur stood behind her, just waiting for her to say, _something_. But they remained as still as statues, her clad legs hanging above the river flowing under the bridge. He sat next to her, facing the opposite direction, looking into her gray eyes. It'd looked like she'd been crying her eyes out, but then she suddenly put out a smile, watching the water, "He named me, you know…"

Calibur stuttered, "W-What?" She repeated herself, turning to him, "Ember named me." Calibur only sat and listened, Vio looking back at the moon. "Ever since that day I met him, he's been the only person who's cared about me, as a human being. He made me who I am today." She looked down to see her reflection in the water, "…He saved me." Calibur wasn't very good at this kind of stuff, and he knew it. But he blurted out before he could stop himself, "I'd like…" Vio watched him closely. "I'd like to hear" he continued cautiously. She smiled, "It was twelve years ago…"

* * *

_"__Twelve years ago-""Wait, so how old are you two?" he interrupted. "Well I'm nineteen, and he's sixteen, but-""So he was five and you were seven when you met?" he put his fist on his palm. "…It's not that simple."_ A palace in the desert sands of Hammerfell stood tall. Armed guards could be seen all over the estate, with double the servants running to and fro. The hallways were lined with fine art, ancient relics, and other jewels of the sands. Two guards, a middle-aged man in fine clothing, and a shackled little girl in rags walked down the hall. They reached a magnificent ivory door, emblazoned with gold, the guards knocking on the door. "Who is it?" a voice asked. The man replied, "Its Balbad." A silence passed, before an answer, "Enter…"

The doors opened to reveal a room hoarding all sorts of treasures. Mounds of valuables blocked their path, forcing them to zig-zag around the piles to move through. They finally made their way to the back of the room. Laid before them were stairs that led to a bed befitting a king, guards lining the walls. A figure rose from behind the curtains on the bed, stretching its thin limbs. The curtains were removed, revealing the teen brunet, who began his descent down the steps to his subjects. _"WHAT!?"_ _Calibur was quite confused. "Ember's been sixteen for a while now, he still hasn't changed much though."_ Balbad moved the girl in front of him, holding her by the shoulders, "I've brought you a gift. A new servant." _"The day I met him… I was the shell of a little girl, thrown into slavery… I felt nothing but pure hatred for the nobles."_

Ember wore a white garment that functioned as a sort of skirt, while his torso remained bare, save for the black cloth tied around his neck. He watched her every movement, his instincts focused on her. "Oh…" he put his hand on her head, "You brought me a broken toy." Balbad spoke nervously, "B-Broken?" "Yes, she absolutely hates me." Ember turned to one of the guards, "Give me your knife." The guard complied, handing him the blade shakily. "Now remove her shackles." Balbad nodded, depriving her of her restraints. The girl and the brunet stared down one another, the brunet noticing how empty her eyes were.

"She's broken, because she doesn't have a soul" Ember said, dropping the knife at her feet. The girl looked down at the weapon, before slowly bending down to grab it. The guards reached for their swords. "Don't" Ember commanded, all yielding to his word. The girl felt the tool in her hands, and began to shake violently. Her iris' became violet, the whole room gasping, Ember grinning. She then thrust the knife into him, guards swarming them with their weapons drawn. But the brunet raised his left hand, signaling for the guards to withdraw. The girl took a step back, dropping the knife infused with lightning. She watched, as Ember's golden aura began to disperse from where she stabbed.

Balbad stuttered, "She-She has the Chaos Eyes!" "Indeed" Ember purred happily, "I'll gladly take her on as my apprentice." "Apprentice? For what?" Balbad inquired. "To become the best servant she could be, and…" he paused, "… and to forge her a new soul." Ember turned his attention back to his attacker, "Your name from now on is Vio," he pointed his finger up as he closed his eyes, "short for violet, the color of your pretty eyes." Little Vio watched him with the most curious expression. _"He was unlike anyone I'd encountered before. I try to kill him, and the next second, he gives me a name and calls me his apprentice."_

* * *

Calibur watched the few lights in the village flicker, "He must be a great man." Vio looked down, her hair covering her face, "He was a fool…" Her voice trembled harshly, "…a fool for trusting me. I failed him, and now…now…" She began walking back to the village inn, leaving him in the cold silence. He looked back at the moon, and felt nothing but pity for the girl. But there was something else that bothered him, a feeling he couldn't shrug off. Calibur felt like he wanted to pull at his hair and scream. Why would he do this for someone he just met? He's seen death, more than he'd have liked. But this was different somehow…


	7. When the Sun Rose Again

A/N: Good/Bad news people. I'm going to lay off a little on posting this story. Nothing crazy, at most it will be a week before you see any new chapters posted. I'm doing this because I feel that although I've basically thought of where I want this story to go, I haven't fully gone over my, _technique_. I've only written short stories, with a **lot** less dialogue, and more playing with words. And after reading my chapters, I've decided that I need to try a different approach. Putting this story in paragraph form constricts me to clunky, shorter lines, and not enough 'space' to fully flesh out the scene, details that would make it more complete. This chapter was **_DREADFUL_** to write, but I had to just pump it out so I could start on forming a new take on this story. So, prepare for some changes!

Chapter VII: When the Sun Rose Again

The sky was stricken with a dark blue tint that morning. The birds conducted their symphonies, never giving pause for breath. A somber Vio treaded down the wooden steps from the inn, silent as the grave. Her usual armor was now replaced by the tight black combat outfit she would wear underneath, her reason for even wearing armor in the first place, gone. She walked to the northern wall, before stopping under the walkway. Dawn approached, the sky's transformation was at hand, showing its true colors to the world. The sun drew its first breath above the tree line, shining its warm rays upon Vio, her heart beginning to wither.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice said from behind her. She didn't have to turn around to know who it was. The brunet stood beside her now, his bandages gone, no traces of blood left on him. He watched the sky with her, until she sputtered, "I'm…I'm so sorry." Tears began to pour from her, "I couldn't protect you… And now you're gone. I... didn't even get to say goodbye." They sat there for a moment, the brunet frowning, "I think your brains fried Vio, maybe you should eat." He took a bite of the green apple in his left hand, before holding it out to her.

Her eyes widened, tears stopping, confusion pummeling her brain. She looked to him, before slowly reaching for the fruit. Her hand touched it, _'It's real!_' continuing to next feel his warm fingers, _'…He's real too!'_ She stood there for a moment in silence of the revelation, his eyes watching her astonished face. With one swift movement, Vio wrapped him in an embrace with the strength of a bear. He whimpered as the life was slowly being squeezed from him, "You're… hurting… ME!" She released him from her mighty death grip, as he coughed harshly.

* * *

As soon as he awoke that morning, Calibur could feel the pit in his stomach. He sat up from the bed in the inn, eyeing the cramped room. His body felt like lead, his spirit snuffed out like a camp fire. But he knew that he'd have to move on without Vio. He only stayed because Ember had commanded him to. Now that he's… he was no longer bound to them. He put on his steel armor, remembering how she was the night before, how defeated she was. It didn't feel right leaving her in that sorry state, but what could he do?

Calibur trotted down the inn stairs, beginning his trek to Whiterun. But two figures stood in his way, the sun basking them in a glow like none other. He winced at the intense light, blocking the sun with his left hand, his eyes widening at who he saw. There was Vio, and then there was…_'Is that?'_ A strange sensation, one similar to joy, filled his being. A part of him wanted to run to the two standing there, but he held back, only increasing his pace slightly.

"That was a nice story you told last night" Ember grinned. Vio blushed, not knowing what to say. "Wait, you were watching us!?" Calibur shouted. "Yup," Ember pointed to the tree next to the mill, "I was sitting right over there, washing my clothes." Calibur was confused for sure, "So, how are you alive?" Vio's attention was drawn to the question. Ember raised his forearms, jingling the gold bangles on his arms. "I had enchanted these guys just before we left Hammerfell, actually. Thought I might need them, in case something went wrong out here." Vio commented, "So the bangles healed you?" Ember rubbed the back of his head, "Well, yes… more or less." He paused, "The golden bands I enchanted have a powerful healing ability, but the thing that makes them more potent is the conditions I put on them."

"Conditions?" the two raised an eyebrow. "Yes, conditions" the brunet chirped. "Most enchantments have a constant effect, but the extent of their capabilities are limited. But when you put conditions on those enchantments, it gives them much more strength. For instance, I was banged up pretty bad. I wouldn't have made it through the night. But as soon as the conditions I put on the enchantments were met, the bangles were activated, healing my injuries at an accelerated rate."

Calibur inquired, "What were the conditions?" "One: that I was seriously hurt, life threatening basically. Two: that I was asleep or unconscious." Ember waved his hand back and forth, "I would have rather used healing magic, but I don't know any restoration spells. That's why we're here in Skyrim, to join the College of Winterhold, so that I can learn more about magic, and apply it to my special brand of magic." Calibur sighed, patting Ember's shoulder, "Well we're glad you're alright." "Oh, I never got to ask," Ember wielding a curious look to his eyes, "what will you do, now that we're out of Helgen?"

Calibur grasped his chin lightly, "Hmmm, well I had planned to meet the jarl of Whiterun, and assist him in any way I can." Ember placed his hands on his hips, "Is Whiterun on the way to Winterhold?" "If you take the road east of Whiterun, it'll lead you straight to Windhelm, a stone's throw from Winterhold." Ember smirked, "Good, then we can walk to Whiterun together." Calibur was glad that the brunet was alright, but he still didn't want to leave them, a feeling he couldn't quite comprehend.


	8. Tastes

Sorry for the late chapter, I've been really distracted by the storyboard, new main protagonists, and in depth character development, not to mention some rad gear! There's been **ZERO** combat so far, but it's soon to come, just hang in there!

* * *

Chapter IIX: Tastes

The morning chill was long forgotten, as the group made their way down the winding stone road by the spraying falls. The brunet took lead, while the two armored warriors 'clanked like a kitchen' a few paces behind.

"So, uh…" Calibur mumbled. Vio's wandering gaze amongst the clear blue sky was turned to the teen captain.

"How…how was your training? With Ember. Was it difficult?" The curiosity shone from his face like a child.

She put her hands behind her back as she began watching the flock of birds flying overhead.

"Well, it was rigorous and grueling, but I learned faster and more efficiently than I could have ever hoped for."

"When did your training end?" he inquired, glancing in Ember's direction.

She smirked silently, "…A year or so after I had first met him. Though, I still remember my final test as his apprentice like it was yesterday…"

Calibur's curiosity intensified, "What kind of test?"

Vio smiled brightly, "It'd make more sense if I told you the whole story."

"The night before the day of my final test, Master requested that I'd guard the corridor to his room, _alone_."

"I paced back and forth down the hallway all night, not knowing what was to come. But I knew one thing; that my test was to be there, outside his room."

"And I waited and waited…until finally, my task was at hand."

"There, in the moonlight an assassin, garbed in black armor, made himself known to me."

Calibur ruffled with his blonde locks, "So you had to defeat an assassin?"

Vio shook her head, "He was no mere assassin"

"He was a demon in human skin."

The captain gulped involuntarily.

"His presence…was the strongest I'd ever felt, it was suffocating to stand anywhere near him."

Calibur smiled sheepishly, "But you passed, so you beat him, right?"

She folded her arms in front of her, closing her eyes.

"Nope."

He nearly fell flat on his face, a confused expression plastered on the blonde.

"I was no match for the man, he struck me down with ease, over and over."

"No matter how many blows he dealt me, I kept standing back up, sword in hand."

"But then he did something, something I would have never expected."

Calibur raised an eyebrow, hanging on to the edge of every word she spoke.

"He offered to free me, if I let him pass. He said that he felt pity for me, that he didn't want to kill a little girl who couldn't defend herself."

She watched as the fish leapt from out the falls.

"I refused him, I told him that I didn't want to be freed, because I didn't need to be freed."

"I wanted to serve Master, to protect him."

"Not because I had to…"

"…but because I wanted to."

Vio watched Ember's golden bangles jingle on his wrists as he walked, the sun radiating its brilliant light upon him in between the trees.

"And that's when my Master decided to reveal himself."

"I watched him intensely as he exited his chambers, not a clue as to his next move…"

She paused, knowing fully well that she had Calibur on the ropes, enthralled in her story. He looked like he was about to burst with excitement, the wonder in his ocean blue eyes like stars in the midnight sky.

"Master proceeded to talk with the assassin, as_ acquaintances_."

Calibur rubbed his head with a heavy sigh, "So they were friends?"

"Basically…In fact, that assassin was the only person I'd seen who wasn't afraid of Master."

"Anyways, in short, he told me that I had passed my final test, a test of _heart_, one that proved that I could one day regain what I had lost…"

"…My soul…"

"Ever since then, I've honed my skills further as his servant."

"Yeah, I forgot to ask," Calibur said as he stretched his arms side to side, "why's everyone afraid of Ember?"

Vio's expression became much more serious, her eyes fixated upon Ember, "I don't really know."

"I only know that there was some sort of 'incident' a while before I came, everyone made sure to never bring it up, Master's orders. I asked him about it once…but he told me to never ask again."

"I've known my master for a long time, but he's never talked about anything before him meeting me."

Ember groaned louder than a mammoth, "Instead of talking about me, why don't we discuss something more, recent. I know you haven't forgotten about that dragon?"

The two in the rear became quiet, not sure as what to say.

"Dragons haven't been seen in Skyrim for centuries. Why now?" Ember spoke inquisitively.

Vio crossed her arms, "I don't know, but if dragons have truly returned, who's to say they haven't popped up all around Tamriel as of late."

The uneasiness in the air was suffocating, the unsure looks from the three teens only made it worse. But as they walked down the hill, Calibur spotted something through the tall trees.

"Look" he chirped, walking off the road, passing a few trees. The other two followed suite, walking pass the tree line.

A magnificent wooden castle sat atop a hill, surrounded by an open city with tall stone walls bordering it.

Calibur whispered, "The city of Whiterun, and there's Dragonsreach. Isn't it magnificent?"

Ember stood there for a moment, before turning back to the road.

"…Not my style…"


	9. Cloud District

Ugh... School has started up. Plus, I got to learn that I was told false information. To make it short, I'm now a month behind in a class I didn't know I had, and I'm missing the books to do my work in another, so good times. But anyways, here's a new chapter, full of familiar faces!

* * *

Chapter IX: Cloud District

As they walked through the city walls, the trio was greeted by all sorts of movement throughout the plains district.

A blonde Nord in Imperial armor conversed with the Imperial blacksmith, "We'll pay whatever it takes, but we must have more swords for the Imperial soldiers." "I just can't fill an order that size on my own."

Children ran in and out of the crowds, one boy bumping into a teen carrying firewood, causing a major spill, "Hey, watch it!" "S-Sorry…"

Redguard mercenaries hassled passerbies, "You there, we're looking for someone. A woman, a foreigner in these lands, Redguard like us. She is likely not using her true name. We're willing to pay for any information regarding her location."

A Redguard in fine clothing walked up to the teens, "Do you get to the cloud district very often? Oh- what am I saying- of course you don't.

Vio's veins popped out on her forehead, causing her to ball up her fist in front of her face, full of irritation, "Say that to my master again, and I'll send _you_ to the cloud district!"

The snob took the hint, practically _fleeing_ for his life.

"Bits and bobbles for sale, all crafted by the best blacksmith in Skyrim," an old woman chanted to the townspeople. The Bosmer joined in, chirping to the passerby's, "The finest cuts, fresh from the wilds!"

Ember groaned as he walked up the steps, watching the meat on the market stand as he passed, "I'm starving, where's the tavern?"

Calibur turned around, pointing past the Bosmer, earning him a puzzled look from said elf, "Right past the stalls."

Ember frowned, "Hey, didn't Hilde say that there was a healer in Whiterun?"

A curious expression took hold of Vio, "How did you know that?"

"I heard you talking while I was asleep…"

"…Yes, she said something of the like."

He grinned, "I have an idea, why don't we split up for now."

Vio watched him intently, causing Ember to shuffle.

"Calibur has business with the jarl, I'm interested in finding this healer, and I know that you want to see Jorrvaskr" he chimed.

She crossed her arms, turning her face away from him, "…Maybe…"

Without pause he patted Calibur and Vio's shoulders, "Then it's settled. We'll meet back up at the tavern, say around dusk! See ya there!" Ember trotted off up the steps.

Calibur huffed, placing his hands on his hips, "For someone who's supposed to be older than us, he acts like a child."

Vio started walking up the steps without Calibur, "You'd be surprised. He could teach you a thing or two."

Calibur rubbed his head, eyeing the sun as it began it's descent from the sky, "I've been wrong before…"

* * *

Ember sat down on the wooden bench beneath the beautiful tree, watching the branches above him shuffle their pink leaves in the warm summer breeze. He closed his eyes, and for a split second, he felt completely at peace.

But his elation was all too brief…

"Wonderful, isn't it", he opened his eyes suddenly to reveal a woman drabbed in orange robes, a yellow hood covering her head as a pink leaf fell on her. He sat silently, too caught up in the moment to answer.

"…May I?"

"…Go ahead."

She sat down on the bench next to him, admiring the abundant lavender that surrounded the tree.

"I'm Danica."

"I'm… Ember."

"It's nice to see someone come visit the Gildergreen every now and then, someone who appreciates Kynareth's blessings to us."

"So you're the priestess?"

"Aye, that I am. The temple here in the city is my charge."

"By any chance," he paused, "are you a healer?"

* * *

Vio slid her way through the door, turning to close it behind her. She turned again, taking in the glory of the mead hall, the place she dreamed of being in as a child.

The tables were lined with food, it was practically a feast. The wooden columns we're slightly chipped, and the banners' we're of a faded red, showing their true age. The warmth of the fire pit and the smell of food soothed her, but she felt that something was missing, _'This is almost just how I imagined it, save for…'_

She was broken from her thoughts as a Dunmer warrior raised his fists to a Nord shieldmaiden.

Vio smiled, _'Perfect'._

The two seemed equally matched, trading blows here and there, until the Nord turned the tables. She started advancing towards him, launching an all-out barrage of punches. Right, left, left, right, all the Dunmer could do was back up, and lift his arms in an attempt to block.

He tried to retaliate with a right hook, but she was too fast, ducking and landing a solid hit to his gut, before finishing with a nasty uppercut to the jaw.

He fell to the floor like an injured bird, making a crash landing onto the stone floor. He looked up with his red eyes at the victor, who held out her rough hand. He paused, before accepting her help, lifting him up off the floor.

"That's three times I've beaten your sorry hide now. Anybody 'round here who can put up a real fight?"

"Right here…"

Everyone turned to the redhead, who removed her ebony armor, placing it on the table, "I'll bet my armor on it."

The Nord grinned confidently, "You're loss…"

The two raised their fist, the Nord charging in on her. Left, right, left, uppercut, The Nord practically flung herself at her opponent, but she couldn't seem to even touch Vio.

The redhead calmly brushed off her opponent's attacks like they were nothing, slowly but surely wearing down the Nord.

The Nord recklessly threw a weak right, allowing for Vio to move in and grab her arm, before flinging the shieldmaiden up, and then back down to the floor in one swift movement, the woman panting heavily, feeling the pain surge through her back like electricity.

The redhead held out her hand to the downed Nord, only to have it smacked away, as the angry woman stormed off.

The onlookers clapped and cheered, "Now that's a _real_ woman!" "She didn't even break a sweat!" "I won the bet, now hand over the money!"

But they were all suddenly cut off by a thundering voice, "I hope you're not making a mess! If you can't fight without trashing the hall then I… suggest…"

Vio watched the giant redheaded man with wide eyes.

_"__Dad!?"_

* * *

Calibur opened his mouth in awe of the magnificent structure he was in. The ceiling seemed to go on forever, the orange light shining down from the windows unto the wooden beams running across the gaps. The grandioso of the architecture before him was unquestionable, in _his_ mind at least.

But he was suddenly torn from his tourist visit, by a steel sword to the neck, held by a fierce Dunmer woman in leather armor. Her eyes bore holes into his soul, her voice discomforted him.

"What's the meaning of this interruption? Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving visitors."

"I…have news from Helgen, regarding the… dragon attack." He watched her response carefully.

She sheathed her sword slowly, Calibur taking in a relieved breath, "Well, that explains why the guards let you in. Come on then, the jarl will want to speak to you personally."

The two walked past the tables filled with fine cutlery and dishes, the huge fire pit tickling his neck.

There, Jarl Balgruuf sat on his throne, watching the boy with earnest looks. The Dunmer took her place beside him, along with an Imperial advisor to his right. Calibur stopped at the steps, slightly nervous.

"So you were at Helgen? You saw this dragon with your own eyes?" the jarl inquired.

The captain started to sweat, as he remembered the chaos…

The fire…

The screams…

The dozens of bodies…

"It was… it was a _massacre_… It came out of nowhere, and… we were no match. It wiped Helgen off the map. I'm not sure if General Tullius made it out, or if anybody escaped for that matter…" Calibur was almost trembling, his fists twitching, his blue eyes watching his feet in shame.

"By Ysmir, Irileth was right!"

The jarl continued on, the three conversing on the subject.

But Calibur could not look back up, he was too busy stuck in his head.

_'…__All I could do was run… I was powerless, I couldn't save anyone but myself…"_

His guilt ate away at him, shoving him into the dark recesses of his mind. But the jarl snapped him out of it, placing his aged hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I'm… sorry for your loss, but I need your help. _Whiterun_ needs your help, to make sure that doesn't happen here as well."

The jarl patted the captain's back, "Come, let's see my court wizard, Farengar…"

* * *

(Bad impersonation) "Say that again, and i'll send you to the cloud district!" I loved that one.

I hope I did okay with this chapter, especially the brawl. We've finally reached a point in the story that I've been **DYING** to write! Huzzah!


	10. Battle of the Bards

I'm not a huge fan of songs in chapters, but this **HAD** to go down. I tried to find something that I liked, while at the same time was feasible to put in this story. We meet a lovely new mysterious character here, more so than Ember! But just because you're mysterious, doesn't mean you can't have fun! The song I use in this chapter is _Judge Jury and Executioner_ by _Atoms For Peace_.

* * *

Chapter X: Battle of the Bards

The Bannered Mare was especially noisy that night. The drunks laughed louder, the patrons spoke with more swagger, and the plates and cups clattered here and there. The fire pit was bright, casting the animated shadows of the merry men upon the walls.

A lone Ember sat at the corner table in the back of the room, watching the festivities take place before him. A young Redguard waitress in clothes that did a little more than 'express' her figure, walked up to him.

"You look a little young to be here. What brings you to this place?"

He looked up to her with a pause, before closing his eyes and crossing his arms.

"I'm not that young… and I'm waiting for some friends of mine."

She bent down, so that they were face to face, his brown eyes opening to meet hers.

"I hope they're as handsome as you."

Her cleavage was inches from his face, a slight blush crept onto his cheeks, "…I-I…Uh…Thanks…"

She could barely hold back her giggle.

"I'd like some sweet rolls…"

Everything he seemed to do screamed 'sheltered child' to her.

The Redguard smiled, "Sure thing."

The boy flicked himself in the face as she turned around. He felt stupid for blushing in her presence, but honestly it was the first time anyone had ever said anything like that to him. He was used to people either bowing to him, or trying to kill him. The only exception to that rule was Balbad for a time, and then Vio, as his faithful companion, his _friend_.

But no one ever gave him those kind of affections. This _feeling_ was quite new to him, he didn't quite like it, but he didn't entirely dislike it either. _Not_ that he felt the same way towards the waitress though.

But a commotion over by the bar caught his attention.

The intoxicated blonde bard had a grip on a woman's arm, as she tried pulling back, "Keep your hands to yourself, Mikael!"

"Oh my Carlotta, it's your fiery spirit that makes me desire you so…"

Suddenly, the bard's hand was swept away by a hooded figure behind him. All the commotion in the tavern ceased, eyes on him from every which direction.

"…I challenge you…" the stranger spoke, pushing his hood aside to reveal a black haired teenager.

His black hair was spiked upwards in a sort of unnatural fashion, an eye patch covered his right eye. His earrings were as silver as his eye. He wore a tattered black cloak, a multi-layered brown vest, accompanied by black leather pants and leather boots.

He pointed his finger straight in Mikael's face, shouting in a sort of theatric tone, "…To a bard's duel!"

The tavern was silent as the grave, before the whole place was set ablaze with maniacal laughter.

A middle-aged warrior in a full set of iron armor patronized Mikael, "You heard the man! Go ahead and show him your 'steel'!"

Mikael bit his lip, before smiling confidently at the stranger, "And whom would you be?"

"I am Leonhardt, and my honor demands that I challenge you…"

"Hmph… well if you want it _that_ badly, kid…"

Mikael picked up his lute, ready to begin, but Leonhardt stopped him.

"How about I play first?"

Mikael grinned, "Why not."

The town beggar grumbled, "So whatcha gonna do boy? Some lute… drums… or are you gonna just sing it out?"

Leonhardt smiled brightly at the beggar, "How about… all of them!"

He snapped his fingers, and from seemingly nowhere, three copies of him appeared by his side.

Each copy looked exactly like him, except the fact that now all of their eyes where different colors.

Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue.

The barkeeper whistled, "Is that some sort of illusion magic?"

All four Leonhardts replied simultaneously, "This is no farce."

Once again, the group snapped their fingers, an instrument appearing in their hands.

For Red, a strangely round, large black lute that was much thicker compared to normal ones, and louder too.

For Yellow, a silver drum decorated with engravings.

For Green, two ivory sticks.

For Blue, a set of rings on each of his fingers.

Yellow, Green, and Blue patted out a beat unlike any other, Green humming a low riff.

Then Yellow and Blue sang together in an eerie harmony, casting a spell on the listeners.

Finally, Red began, plucking at the strings, his hands graceful in each movement.

He began to sing:

_Don't worry, baby_

_It goes right through me_

_I'm like the wind and my anger will disperse_

_Thin persecutors_

_Their twisted 'vestors_

_A horned reptile that is crawled upon the Earth_

_I went for my usual walk_

_I'll tell it like it is_

_Tell it like it was_

_Judge and jury, executioner_

_Judge and jury, executioner_

_Judge and jury_

_When darkness follows_

_And no tomorrows_

_It's all been decided_

_All spies deceptive_

_All bouncing voices down the echo chamber_

_I went for my usual walk_

_I went around the block_

_I just can't talk or reason with my executioner_

_Judge and jury, executioner_

_Judge and jury_

_Been wasting trails_

_You talk in layers_

_I went for my usual walk_

_I'll tell it like it is_

_Tell it like it was_

_Judge and jury, executioner_

_Judge and jury, executioner_

_Judge and jury_

_Don't worry, baby_

_It goes right through me_

_I'm like the wind and my anger will disperse_

The room was 'tense' for all purposes of the word.

The four Leonhardts merged back into one, his eye melding back to the silver it once was, before taking a bow.

Applause littered the air, accompanied by whistles and cheers.

At some point in time, Mikael retreated to whatever hole he came from, leaving the obvious victory to Leonhardt.

"What was that!?"

"Whatever it was, it was amazing!"

"Best bard, by far!"

Leonhardt made a goofy grin, before his eye locked onto Ember's, who immediately broke contact, instead taking interest in a nearby wall.

But the raven headed boy noticed, making his way over to the brunet.

The bard asked, "Do you mind?"

But before Ember even had the time to open his mouth, the stranger was already sitting opposite of the brunet.

"Name's Leonhardt, but you can call me Leo, what's your name?"

"…I'm Ember"

"Sorry about that back there, the whole duel thing was over the top, but I had to…"

Ember slightly tilted his head in curiosity.

"He looked like he was givin' the lady a hard time, so I had to help her."

Ember toted his hand back and forth, "So you plan on courtship with this woman?"

Leo waved his hands frantically, "It's not like that okay! Anyways, you looked preoccupied with that waitress yourself…"

Ember began to blush, remembering that recent encounter.

"W-whatever... by the way, how did you pull off that stunt? It was quite interesting…"

The raven head put his boots up on the table, leaning back in his chair, linking his arms behind his head.

"Sorry, can't tell you that yet."

The Redguard waitress returned with the plate of sweet rolls, her face turning a little red.

"Oh my, I didn't know that he was _your_ friend!"

She turned to Leo, a twinkle in her eyes.

"That was an amazing performance! You have a gift!"

Leo basked in the praise, as he sat back, closing his eyes in contempt.

He finally looked at her, eyeing her dubious apparel.

"And what might be your name miss?"

"I-I'm Saadia."

"Well, I'd perform for you, _anytime_, Saadia."

Her blush intensified, as she spun around in an attempt to hide it.

"Well… call me if you need anything!"

She skipped away, Ember giving Leo a quizzical look.

"You don't seem that different than that poor excuse of a bard…"

"The difference between me and that Mikael fellow is this; He sings for women, but the women sing for me."

He winked at the end of his sentence, attempting some sort of charming smile.

"…Yeah, right…"

Leo finally took notice of the plate in front of his feet.

"Sweet rolls?"

"…I'm low on gold as of late…"

The bard smiled, "It's alright, I'll take care of it", before standing up.

"I have an announcement to make!"

The patrons all turned to the boy.

"Drinks on me!"

* * *

I never did like Mikael, and I never will...


	11. Afraid

Yaaay! This chapter makes Calibur not such a blank slate, run-of-the-mill, everyday, ordinary, boring, depthless soldier! Still gotta give him some chapters later on to reminisce his early days. We also get to meet Vio's daddy!

_"But what happens when her father meets her master?"_

"Possibly... blood, lots of it! HA! I jest!"

* * *

Chapter XI: Afraid

"Who's this?" Calibur asked Ember, carefully watching the stranger.

Ember began to open his mouth, but Leo cut him off.

"Just a bard passing through town."

The blonde looked down at the table, all manner of treats spread upon the furniture.

"H-how…"

"Courtesy of our 'good' friend Leo here."

Calibur rubbed the back of his head, "Wow, thanks…"

Leo gave a cheesy thumbs up, "It was nothing!"

"Master!" a familiar voice chirped, causing the three at the table to turn around.

Ember waved to the girl, his hand slowing down as he saw the strange redheaded man walking towards them, _in tandem with her_.

Saadia almost gasped, "I-Isgar! What are you doing here? Don't tell me you're another friend of that stranger's…"

Calibur's ears twitched when he heard the name _Isgar_.

"W-w-w-wait! You don't mean that he's _THE_ Isgar, Harbinger of the Companions!?"

He immediately ran over to the muscled warrior, kneeling down to the floor, earning him a few stares.

"It's an _honor_ to meet you sir! You're… a legend amongst the Imperial ranks!"

Isgar smiled, letting out a hearty laugh, "So, you're with the Legion, eh?"

"Yes, I'm a captain!" Calibur gleefully replied.

"Huh, already a Tribune! That's quite a feat for someone so young!"

The blonde's eyes twinkled, "Thank you sir!"

Isgar finally started to notice all the onlookers watching the poor boy prostrate himself on the tavern floor.

"There's no need to grovel like that! Come, stand up."

The boy did so without hesitation, watching his Idol's every gesture.

The warrior proceeded over to the table with Vio, who introduced them all.

"This is Calibur, and-" she stopped as her gaze was directed at the raven headed stranger.

"I'm Leonhardt!"

"-and this is my master, _Ember_."

Isgar gave the noble a good long stare, before disengaging.

"Everyone, this is Isgar, _my father_…"

Calibur was kicked out of his dream world, his face contorting with astonishment. The other two sat there, quietly watching the harbinger.

The harbinger turned back to Ember, "My daughter has told me much about how her life has gone over the years, ever since she was abducted from our village by those slavers… and she's told me even more about you, boy…"

Silence reigned for the next few seconds at the table, everyone calmly still, save for Calibur, who was practically chewing his lips off.

"…and I have to say this." The warrior kneeled down before the sitting brunet, a few spectator's eyes popping at the bizarre sight.

"I thank you, for everything you've done for my girl. In the few hours that I've talked to her, I can see that she's grown into a fine young woman, almost as strong as me it appears. And I've also seen that she holds you in the highest regard, not in blind obedience or respect, but in idolism. And so, I will hold you in the highest regard as well, my _friend_."

The teen sat quietly, before standing up, Isgar following suit.

"You've got it all wrong, it is _I_, who owes her a great deal. She's changed me, in many ways for the better."

Vio slightly blushed at the statement, Isgar sporting a wild smile, "Well, now that we've all met, let us begin the festivities!"

* * *

The group was quite deep in their cups, some hanging on to their sanity better than others. Calibur, Leo, and Isgar had a collective red tint to their faces, while the remaining two were still self-aware of their actions… _somewhat_…

The two redheads sat next to each other on the bench, while the brunet sat next to the blonde, leaving the raven headed bard sitting on his chair in between the two benches at the table.

"And sho dis dragon comes ouwt frum tuh mowntane, and wuz all, 'Rawwr', and it waz soooooooo scarwee, and fire came down frum dah sky, and Ember burnt down a door!" Calibur spoke in between his frequent hiccups.

Isgar laughed wildly, "That sounds like a great story! You know, I once fought in single combat against a giant sea monster that plagued the Hammerfell coasts! It was one of the toughest battles I'd ever been in…" he trailed off, not realizing that his daughter was the only one listening attentively.

Ember noticed Leo whispering into Calibur's ear, both of them watching the brunet like hawks.

The two snickered, Calibur mumbling out loud, "He _would_ look good in that…"

Ember's face turned demon-like, "What are you two laughing about over there!?"

Leo chuckled, "Nothing, nothing for you to worry your little head about, _short stack_."

"WHAT WAS THAT!?" the brunet's golden aura began leaking out.

But he let off, as he noticed Saadia standing next to the table.

"S-sorry to bother you all but, we only have one room available, and it can only fit two people…"

Isgar stopped his tale, interjecting into the new conversation, "Don't fret, my daughter can stay over at Jorrvaskr with me tonight."

"And I've already got a room here, over on that side… in case anyone cared." Leo pointed towards the kitchen before sighing sadly.

"So that just leaves…" Vio paused, the group all staring at a shocked Ember and a giggling Calibur.

"I… have to share a bed?" Dread filled his being.

"I'm sorry master, but that's all we can manage it seems…"

Calibur wrapped his right arm around Ember, "C'mon! It'll be fuuunnn! Just lyke when I was uh wittle boy, havnnn to share my bed wit my lil' sis!"

Veins popped out on the brunet's forehead, "I'm not your little sister! I never dreamed of the day I'd have to share my bed with another guy…"

"Weee cud stae up and tell scarwee storwees undur teh blanket!"

Ember then decided that the opportune moment was nigh, "If that's the case, I'll be turning in early, so I can forgo the embarrassment…"

He then excused himself, before sneaking over to the stairs leading to Leo's room.

* * *

The boy attempted to open the door, only to find that it was locked. He raised his hand to the keyhole, his aura emanating from his palm, fiddling with the lock mechanism until it opened.

Closing the door gently behind him, he began shuffling through the satchel on the bed, only to find that it was _empty_.

A loud thud startled the brunet caused him to wheel around, Leo standing there, a grin plastered on his face.

"You know, it isn't polite to go through other people's stuff."

Ember narrowed his eyebrows, giving the taller teen a glare, "_Who are you_?"

"Jeez, lighten up… why don't you let me show you…" a blue light began to surge from the raven head's left hand.

The brunet took a defensive stance, before lunging at his opponent with merciless speed. He unfurled upon the bard, his attacks swift and powerful, the sheer wind force from his swipes could bruise flesh. But the taller teen kept up, using only his right hand.

Leo then flicked the boy square in the forehead, causing Ember to kneel down from the _excruciating_ pain.

"Are you done, because I don't have time for this."

The brunet's aura began to pulsate, its brilliant golden light swirling around him.

The raven headed teen sighed, "Don't say I didn't warn you…"

The next thing Ember knew, he was shackled to the bed, squirming at the metal wrapped around his limbs.

_'__What!? How did I end up in shackles!?'_

A deep, buried instinct began clawing its way out of him, and for the first time in years, _he was utterly afraid_.

Leo put his glowing hand on the boy's forehead, ruffling through memories, until he found a distinct set, hidden in the recesses of his mind. The brunet began to visibly shake, his senses going wild in a mad frenzy.

Images of horrors long past in his life began scorching themselves upon his eyes.

_'__No…no, no, no, no, no… NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! NO MORE, I CAN'T!'_

He tried to open his mouth to yell, but no sound came out. Tears began flowing down his cheeks, his face stuck in a fearful expression, his eyes as big as saucers.

_'__NOT AGAIN, I CAN'T GO BACK! STOP IT… STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT!'_

But before he knew it, the shackles were but an old memory, and he was enveloped in the arms of the bard as they sat on the edge of the bed.

"Shhhhh… it's alright, you're okay, you're okay…"

Ember wasn't sure what was going on, if he should push away the other boy or not. But he couldn't move his limbs, and figured that he didn't have the energy to fight back, after _that_. His attacker mentally shook him, and then took to consoling him afterwards? This was turning out to be a strange day…

"…I had to prove a point, I'm sorry…"

The brunet griped his teeth, _'…I was no match for him. I'm an able fighter, but I don't consider myself completely human. Most enemies I've encountered couldn't lay a finger on me, but him? He's on an entirely different level. His reaction time was superhuman, and his eerie ability to show me my past is not of this world…'_

The other teen noticed, tightening his grip around the noble.

He could feel the boy's ragged and labored breathes on his chest, his constant shaking slowly receding.

"S-so, what are you?"

The raven headed boy let go of the brunet, his eye watching the wooden floor.

"That's… complicated…"

"…Then try to answer my questions."

Leo nodded, before turning his gaze to Ember.

"First off, what is your intention?"

"… My intention is to guide you on your path."

"And what is that path?"

"…I cannot answer…"

"Is it only you who seeks this endeavor?"

"No…"

"Who sent you?"

"…It's not a question of who, but a question of _what_…"

The brunet paused at his reply, "And what might that be?"

"An entity, unknown to this world… I am an aspect of this entity, its _representative_, per say."

"…What is this entity's goal?"

"…I cannot answer in regard to the long term goal, but for now… to readjust your course."

Ember sat quietly, pondering the predicament before him.

_'__An entity unknown to this world?'_

"You and Vio plan to head out on your journey for Winterhold tomorrow, correct?"

"…Yes…"

"Your friend Calibur is planning a trip to Bleak Falls Barrow tomorrow as well. Calibur is a talented soldier… but…"

Leo hesitated, the noble peering into the silver abyss that was his left eye.

"But?"

"…But he will die there…"

Ember's eyes widened at the revelation.

"…It is _pivotal_ that you save him… many lives depend on it, hell, the future of Tamriel depends on it."

"So the future of Tamriel rests upon him?"

The raven headed teen sighed, "You misunderstand, saving him is of top priority, but it's what happens after that is so important…"

The unclear messages were driving the brunet insane, _'Leo, a mysterious entity, the future of Tamriel…'_

"Look, I'll tell you something a little extra…" Leo whispered.

Ember leaned in, but the aspect only sat quietly, causing the noble to shout irritably.

"Well!?"

"Sorry, just been notified that I can't tell you that… too bad!"

The brunet growled, the bard grinning.

"You'll find out soon enough… what's important is that you stick together, okay?"

"…What makes you think that I'll-"

Leo cut him off, "I've already said enough… I know you have more questions, and in time they'll be answered, I can promise you that. But you'll have to wait for now."

The noble gave a fatigued sigh as Leo stood up from the bed.

"You better turn in, you'll need to rest for what's ahead, ciao!"

And just like that, the aspect faded away in a bright haze.

* * *

Bleh!

I'm thinking about having some interactions with the daedric lords, outside of their side quests.

Anyways, I didn't want to torture poor Ember, even if it was brief! :(


	12. Fresh Air

Sooo much stuff to do! I've been all over the storyboard, but I gotta post something! So here's something! A funny, then serious chapter!

Sorry, I'm in the Sheo mood, can't you see i'm busy doing the fishstick? It's a very delicate state of mind...

* * *

Chapter XII: Fresh Air

The morning sun peeked through the windows of the room, casting a glow at the foot of the bed. The rest of the room resonated with the light, letting the walls bask in the glory of Aetherius.

A certain brunet tried to open his brown eyes, but his efforts failed.

The strange experience he had with Leo drained him of his strength, and sent the young noble soundly to sleep that night.

His body was ragged, and quite exhausted from the fight between him and the aspect.

But as his eyelids fluttered open, he felt something heavy on top of him.

He slowly unveiled his eyes, only to find a passed out blonde sprawled atop him under the fur blanket.

Calibur was knocked out cold, unsurprisingly. For as many drinks as the boy had last night, no one could blame him, but _this_?

Ember felt his heart beat stutter, his mouth open in sheer embarrassment.

He tried to move, but his fatigue combined with the captain's weight was too much to overcome.

The noble could feel the others breath on his neck, hear his slow exhale, smell his sweet Honningbrew scent, which only distressed him all the more.

The brunet squirmed, causing the sleeping blonde to cling to him, wrapping his arms around the others sides.

A small yelp escaped from the boy's mouth, his face full of disbelief, _'This isn't funny!'_

"C-Calibur! Wake up!"

"…"

"Wake up!"

The captain groaned, "What is it?" before opening his eyes slowly.

The moment Calibur realized the awkward position he was in, a red blush engulfed him.

But before they could say anything, a voice from behind the door intervened.

"Master, it's time to get out of bed…"

The redheaded girl opened the door to reveal Calibur laying on top of her master under the fur blanket, both staring back at her in horror.

Calibur panicked, sitting up, "It's not what it looks like!"

Unfortunately, as soon as he sat up, the covers slid off, revealing the two half naked bodies underneath.

The three were silent as the grave, before Vio spun around, a shocked expression on her face, "I'm sorry if I interrupted!"

She walked out the room hurriedly, Calibur reaching out to her from the bed, "No! I swear nothing happened!"

But his words fell on deaf ears, as he rubbed his aching head.

He turned back to the brunet underneath who gave him a look of nervousness and discomfort.

The captain launched himself over to his clothes that were strewn across the floor without hesitation, and began dressing himself.

The noble wrapped the blanket around his thin frame, watching Calibur frantically put his trousers on, _'Aaaaagh! I've never suffered so much indignity and embarrassment! But strangely… I'm not angry. I should be… but somehow I'm not… and that's what really bothers me…'_

As soon as the blonde finished, he darted out the door, and down the steps.

_'__It was an accident Calibur, an accident! But what if he doesn't think that? Will he hate me?'_

* * *

The captain found himself in a completely different tavern than before. The morning rays dimly lit the room, revealing a few drunks passed out here and there.

He finally spotted Vio, who both traded awkward looks as he sat down at the table with her.

She watched him carefully, while he completely avoided eye contact.

_'…__It's not my business what Master does in his private life… nor is it my place to judge. I was just… surprised. I didn't think Master was the kind of person to engage in such… activities. He never showed any affection to anyone like that in front of me. Maybe he made sure not to be open about it? But they've only known each other for about two days. And moreover… Calibur is a man…'_

Her head was filled with unanswered questions that might be better without the answers.

But the boy across the table was just as conflicted.

_'…__I've got to clear the air somehow… I know! I'll just straight out explain to her what happened! Vio trusts me to tell the truth, right?'_

The blonde opened his mouth, gaining the attention of the redhead.

"…Look, I-""Don't worry, your secret is safe with me…" she smiled.

Calibur was turned to stone in an instant.

_'__She didn't even give me a chance to say anything!'_

He laid his head on the table in total despair, emitting a harsh groan from his throat.

_'…__I'll be leaving for Bleak Falls today, so it won't really matter, will it? Is there a point to stick around anymore? It might just be better if I didn't say goodbye…'_

The blonde stood up from the table, "I need some fresh air" before walking to the door.

Vio gave him a look, before looking away silently.

* * *

The redhead watched as her master made his way down the stairs slowly.

He was still quite fatigued, but he at least could walk. Though, his main concern was Leo's message from the other night. He didn't like being in the dark about these things of course, but he didn't want to risk being wrong. But why?

Why did he want to save Calibur? He wasn't the type to do things for others out of the kindness of his heart. It wasn't because the fact that Leo hinted at something bigger, was it? He had to admit, he was quite interested in learning what the aspect meant exactly, but that wasn't his main reason.

His eyebrows furrowed as he thought harder and harder.

When he thought about the idea of Calibur dying, it brought _pain_ to his heart. Was it some sort of fixation?_ 'Was it… no, it couldn't be… could it?'_

The brunet sat down across from his servant, who couldn't help but mumble, "A _little_ sore?"

He gave her an intense glare, before asking, "Where is he?"

"Calibur stepped out, said he needed some air… but that was quite a long time ago, now that I think about it."

"How long ago?"

"Hmm… an hour or so…"

The brunet violently sat upright, "WHAT!?"

A few sleeping drunks where startled by the sudden outburst.

"We need to find him now!"

"Master, what's wrong?"

With an unsavory look, Ember bit his lower lip, _'This is bad, he'll get to the barrow long before we get close… I have to get there before anything bad happens!'_

"Come on Vio, we have to catch up!"

Her dark brown eyes widened, before she nodded to her master.

* * *

The captain trudged through the blinding snow storm, his steel plated armor slowly freezing. The cold chilled him to the bones, as the wind howled in his ears.

The trail was out of sight, and he could barely see his own feet, but before he knew it, a rock with a red cloth tied to it appeared before him.

As the white blizzard began to die away, the dreary barrow revealed itself to the teen.

Its dark stone architecture reminded him of the fiery dragon of Helgen, an unpleasant memory for sure.

Before those events, the idea of dragons sounded preposterous, but now that he's seen an ancient Nordic structure, not to mention a real, live dragon, all doubts were erased from his mind.

_'__So the Nords of the olden days worshipped them?'_

Undaunted, he cautiously made his way up the slippery steps.

As he ascended, he spotted two guards at the top, casually talking to one another.

One sighed, "Can't wait to get out of this storm…"

The other exhaled onto his frosty hands, "That Dunmer better find something good, 'cause if he doesn't, I'll rip off his stupid ears, and feed him his teeth for all this trouble."

The captain quietly approached the two bandits in tandem with the icy winds, before slicing his blade deep into his terrified enemy's gullet.

The other tried to yell, but Calibur quickly embedded his sword into the poor lad's chest, causing him to cough up some blood onto the cold stone.

But as the blonde looked over the other's shoulder, he noticed a third guard coming into view from behind an arch atop the next set of steps, drawing his bow.

As the cutthroat let loose an arrow from afar, Calibur used the body attached to his sword as a meat shield, the arrow landing into the back of the dead man's right shoulder.

With a swift jerk, he removed his blade from the corpse, before making a mad dash up to the bowman.

The bandit panicked and fumbled with nocking the next arrow. But his fate was sealed as soon as his fear overtook him- the sword pierced right into his belly, causing his body to go limp.

The captain kicked the man, sending his corpse sliding off the bloody steel blade.

The blonde waved his weapon, flinging the red liquid onto pillar next to him.

He took in a deep breath, as the smell of iron filled his nose.

_He hated it._

He hated killing, he hated the rush, he hated it all.

The boy wished that the world was like how he used to imagine it was when he was younger. But he learned the hard truth after joining the Imperial Legion, what the world was _really_ like.

He calmly walked up the final set of steps, before walking around the pillar to greet the ominous doors.

Calibur eyed the snowy footsteps in front of him, "Let hope they're not lying in wait for me…"

Reluctantly, he pushed the large doors open, cringing at every creak.

The doors led to a large murky temple, with a partially open roof letting in the white light of the mountain, and a few broken pillars scattered through the room. The decay was prominent, remains of banners and fire pits littered the area, along with a few dead skeevers.

The blonde let out a cold sigh of relief, before slowly closing the doors behind himself.

He cautiously walked forward into the icy light, kneeling down to touch the deceased rat.

_'__Still warm…'_

He continued on, going round the pillar in the center of the temple.

But suddenly, a light flickered on, as two shadows loomed around the corner of the next pillar.

Calibur hugged the pillar with his back, as a man's voice answered the silence.

"…Damn fire keeps going out…"

"…"

"…What's wrong?"

A woman's voice responded, "Those two should have been back by now… maybe they ran off without us…"

Calibur sat quietly behind the pillar, before reaching to something on the ground.

The male voice exhaled, "Calm down, I'm sure they'll come back if they find something-"

The woman sneered, "You expect me to calm down while Bjorn's alone with Arvel? That little elf would rather stab us in the back than share the riches!"

As the two continued to argue, the captain looked around the corner at them, readying his arm.

The Nord groaned, "Just shut up watch for trouble."

A sudden noise sent the two to their feet, eyeing the entrance to the tombs below.

The woman whispered, "Bjorn? Is that you?"

But another noise collected her attention, as it came from directly beside her.

The man she was speaking to a second ago was now face down on the floor with a nasty slash to his back.

She turned around, only to have Calibur's steel sword directly in her face, her eyes trying to focus on its tip.

Her fearful expression met his intense gaze, the fire next to them lit his left side, while his right remained in darkness.

The two moved in a slow circular movement, their shadows matching the dance, until her back was to the temple entrance.

Calibur turned to the steps leading down to the tombs, sheathing his sword in the process.

The marauder smiled wickedly, pulling out a hidden blade from her boot.

She ran towards the defenseless captain who turned back around to witness the dagger aimed for his heart.

"Fool! This'll teach you to underestimate a-"

Her speech was cut short, as her bloody body fell to a slump behind him.

He looked down to the sword in his right hand, as his enemies' life essence oozed from the tip.

A lingering sadness that leeched off his heart had formed in that moment.

_'__No matter where I go, it makes the same sound…'_

_Drip, drip, drop…_

* * *

A tid bit of backstory for Calibur, more like a hint. Breadcrumbs to the whole picture. Of my characters here and to come, he probably has the second least scarred past. Even though he's made it to the rank of Tribune due to his combat prowess and leadership qualities, he's still just a kid at heart...


End file.
